Government Will Challenge Court Ruling on Illegal Migration Act, Says Minister

The government will appeal against Monday’s ruling by a Belfast judge that the Illegal Migration Act 2023 should be “disapplied” in Northern Ireland, a Home Office minister has said. Lord Sharpe of Epsom confirmed to peers on Wednesday that the government would “take all steps to defend its position, including through an appeal,” after Mr. Justice Humphreys ruled that parts of the act are incompatible with the post-Brexit Windsor Framework. The parliamentary under-secretary told colleagues in the House of Lords: “We continue to believe that the policy is lawful, that our approach is compatible with international law, and specifically that the Illegal Migration Act proposals are compatible with Article Two of the Windsor Framework....